Employment Picture is Not Rosey For 2023
Monthly BLS data does not give the true picture of the IT and US employment picture
As we reported in our last article, the IT job market grew by only 700 jobs in 2023 versus 267,000 in 2022. At the same time, the number of unfilled jobs in IT is now equal to the number of IT Pros who are unemployed.
Number of IT Jobs Created 2023 versus 2022
Granted November and December are preliminary numbers, they will change over the next two months as the BLS adjusts the data. In 2022, employers in the US hired back IT Pros at a record pace as they recovered from the pandemic. In 2023, the preliminary impact of AI was felt in many organizations as entry-level positions were automated.
For example, there has been the evolution of the help and support functions in IT and some enterprise operations. AI and web interfaces have taken the place of real people. In several organizations, we reviewed the number of FTEs (Full-Time Equivalents) in the help and support functions that were between 20 to 30 (including supervisors and managers) and now are between 4 to 5 FTEs. Driving this was the failure of outsourced and off-shore support options which did now meet management objectives.
Reasons why the employment picture is not as bright as reported by the BLS
We have identified eight reasons why the employment picture is not as good as reported in the national media.
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